How Old Churches Are Helping Solve The Housing Crisis.
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In the United States, there is a big problem with not having enough affordable homes. At the same time, there are many churches, synagogues, and mosques that have extra space they are not using. Some of these buildings are old and falling apart. Many small religious groups don’t have enough money to fix them. Some have even thought about selling their buildings or land.
One church decided to turn its extra space into affordable housing instead of selling it to a company. This way, they could still help people and stay true to their mission. All across the country, religious groups are dealing with the same issue. They have large buildings and land they can’t afford to keep up. Meanwhile, there are millions of people who need places to live that don’t cost too much.
In the past, churches used to be full. In the 1950s, Sunday services had huge crowds. But by the 1980s, fewer people came. Many families moved to the suburbs. Things got even worse during COVID, and some churches lost many of their members. Some now have less than 20 people attending.
Many churches are also facing problems like small businesses. Building and insurance costs are going up. Some small churches can’t compete with big “mega-churches” or churches that are online. It’s getting harder to survive.
It’s estimated that around 100,000 churches in the U.S. could close in the next few years. Others may have to sell part of their land or find new ways to make money. Some religious buildings have already been changed into things like schools, offices, or apartments.
Some churches are using their kitchens to help people start small food businesses. One church in Miami sold its land for $55 million. The new owner built a tall condo building and gave the church a space inside. The church used the money to help the community with things like a pickleball court and a rock-climbing wall.
Some people don’t like the idea of churches making money this way. But others believe it depends on what the church does with the money. If they use it to help the poor, then it’s a good thing.
Affordable housing is often the best choice for churches. Regular developers may not want the land if it’s not in a great location. But helping people find homes fits with what many churches are already trying to do.
In some places, cities and states are making it easier to build homes on church land. For example, in California, a law was passed in 2023 to allow religious groups to build affordable housing even if the zoning laws would normally not allow it.
Turning old church property into homes for people who need them may be the perfect way to solve two problems at once: fewer churchgoers and not enough affordable housing.
